This invention relates to an article and system used for creating and printing of customized official postage as an aesthetic border for a personal postal product.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,718 discloses using indicia in the form of a code for identifying the postage amount, the mail address and authenticity of the postage. U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,555, discloses a postage applying system where the device used for printing of postage and the accounting unit are separated from one another by an unsecured link and the authenticity of the postage is insured by encryption. Both of these patents disclose printing of postage using a device such as an off the shelf printer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,944 discloses a system for printing a postage meter stamp, including a desired postage amount and personalized postage indicia onto a label or directly onto a document. The processing system that formats and prints the document, calculates the appropriate postage for the document, encrypts selected information into machine readable format, and prints the appropriate postage for that document at the same time the document is being printed. The processing system interacts with the customer to generate personal stamp indicia and prints the information onto the outside of a mailing envelope. U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,240 discloses printing a postage meter stamp including the postage amount and a personalized postage indicia onto a piece of mail. The personalized postage indicia can be created by the user or selected from a list of graphics supplied by the Post Office and placed on a postal storage device. Also disclosed is the use of two compatible computer programs. One program runs on a computer at the Post Office and a second program that runs on the user""s computer.
These previously mentioned patents disclose a method which allows a customer to print postage using their computer and an off the shelf printer at a location remote from the post office. When the postage is printed using an off the shelf printer and not a secured postage meter, an encryption scheme as described in the patents previously set forth is used. In each of the cases described above, the postage printed is akin to postage printed using a postage meter. The postage indicia are applied using a single color of ink.
There are several problems with the systems and methods disclosed. The first is that the postage printed is limited to one or two colors. Again as mentioned above these indicia are typically very rudimentary and are no more than line drawings. Another problem is the personalized indicia are typically printed in close proximity to any customized postal indicia or personalized image associated with the postage. The encrypted postage is not actually part of the personalized image itself. Because the postage is encrypted using a form of one or two-dimensional bar code, the encrypted postage detracts from the aesteteic appearance of any personalized indicia or image. One of the characteristics of encrypted official postage indicia is the relationship between the official postage indicia and any personal or custom indicia printed on an article of mail. An example of an article of mail is an envelope, post card, etc.
The present invention provides a method and system for customizing an official postal product that solves many of the problems of the prior art. The method and system also provides high quality images on official postal products having the required quality, characteristics, and content standards.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a personal postal product comprised of a personal image area for receiving a personal image and an official postal image area having a machine-readable code. The machine-readable code is configured so as to extend substantially around the personalized image area.
Another aspect of the present invention is provided a personal postage product wherein the official postal image area is printed using a color. The color of the code may be coordinated with a color present in the personal image or be in direct contrast to at least one of the colors in personal image.
In yet a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a personal postal product comprised of a personal image area having a substantially polygonal shape, and the official postal image area comprised of a machine-readable code configured to extend substantially along at least two sides of the polygon. The personal image area also may have a generally ellipsoid shape where the official postal image area comprised of a machine readable code is configured to extend along at least a portion of the periphery of said ellipsoid shape.
In still another aspect of the present invention a system for producing postal indicia comprised of a computer for processing image data. A data entry means for entering a digital image, which is to be incorporated into part of the postal indicia. A printer for producing the postal indicia, the postal indicia is comprised of a personal image area for receiving a personal image and an official postal image area. The official postage image area is comprised of a machine-readable code configured to extend substantially around the postal image area.
In another aspect of the present invention there is provided a personal postal product comprised of a personal image area for receiving a personal image and an official postal image area having a machine-readable code. The machine-readable code is within or mixed with the personalized image area.